Comments

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  David Paul Appell April 6, 2010 at 7:58pm

  Ed's right, this has been an extremely interesting exchange on this question here -- kudos to all! I think that Ed is also looking to articulate for the benefit of both the travel industry and the general public how they benefit by keeping to an updated version of the traditional view that gives at least somewhat more weight to the expertise and experience of pro travel journalists, in a landscape where we're all awash in travel content from amateurs, whether they be non-professional bloggers or Joe Traveler weighing in on Tripadvisor.
  
  Why are we still relevant, in other words? Not in some undefined future, once all the dust settles, but right here and now? They don't give a flying dingdong about our trials and tribulations -- they just want to know what's in it for them.
  
  Fact is, the public does get plenty of bang for their buck by swarming the likes of Tripadvisor, despite its well-demonstrated flaws. In part this is because all too many members of the public have grown to distrust elites and experts, and like the idea of taking advice from the average gal or the dude next door. Remember, not long ago we disdained the eggheaded candidate to elect the president we wanted to have a beer with.
  
  There are, I feel, 3 points worth emphasizing. Maybe some of this is obvious stuff, but presenting it all together like this may have some value.
  
  1. Blogs are becoming paramount -- but not just any old blogs
  
  The travel blogosphere, as crowded as it's been getting, is still in its teething stage and very much in flux. But because all of us are living and learning increasingly on the Internet these days, this is where attention must most be paid, and with proper care and feeding it can grow in importance against user-generated sites. The casual amateurs will be weeded out and the dedicated talents will rise to the top -- in a sense they'll still be an "elite" but one that's greatly democratized and optimized for the 21st century. As Lana pointed out, those who offer specialized knowledge will be especially in demand. Many in the travel industry have recognized this is a wave they can't afford to miss and have been engaging with bloggers, but my sense is that most are still clueless and need to be educated.
  
  2. Print media still has and will continue to have its place
  
  Having said all that, old media may be diminished but it's not dead, and some remnant is likely to retain some amount of influence among a more limited but still commercially desirable elite readership. They will become the coffee table books, as it were, of travel journalism. Yet even most of these outlets will not survive without extending their brand and presence online, and here their strong SEO will guarantee higher visibility for travel writers producing for them. And a significant portion of consumers of travel journalism still do respect its expertise and experience, and the travel industry will underestimate this at its own peril.
  
  3. A new paradigm: travel-journalist expertise meets social media democracy
  
  There's also a new model developing that combines the best of both worlds -- traditional travel journalism's expertise and social media's ethos of democratic access. And here's where I get to immodestly plug Tripatini, which for that reason we view as the next stage in the development of travel social sites. We bring media of varying degrees of professionalism together to learn from each other, the public, and the travel industry, and conversely to give the public and the travel industry access to travel writers and broadcasters. Though admittedly in its early stages, Tripatini is an experiment that can only help strengthen the relevance of travel journalists in the second decade of the 21st century and beyond.
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  Ed Wetschler April 6, 2010 at 1:55am

  You people are great, and I appreciate it. I kept nodding my head and muttering, Right on! as I read these comments, and yes, I'll be quoting some of you at the conference. FYI, my comment at this point does not mean, "Thanks, I've got everything I need." Rather, it just mean, Thank you. Lana, I saw that story you just posted, and it is, indeed, part of the picture. Also, the Sunday New York Times ran a rumination on the dilemma in film criticism--again, not so different from the crisis in travel journalism, and for the same reasons. If you're a film lover (or any kind of critic, including someone who writes about hotels or cities or ping pong resorts,, see http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/movies/04scott.html?scp=2&sq=...
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  Lana Bortolot April 5, 2010 at 8:47pm

  Wanted to add that I appreciate that people like Toni provide on-the-ground coverage that serves an audience in a way that traditional travel journalists don't. I think we're all having a hard time figuring out how everyone can survive in this space. The NYT recently ran a story addressing this dilemma in pro photography--it raised similar concerns. And gave no answers.
  
  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/business/media/30photogs.html?pag...
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  Maralyn D Hill April 5, 2010 at 8:39pm

  I think some excellent comments have been made with Lana and Kendra being right on target, as well as Toni and JoAnna. It is a changing time, Where talent and knowledge will win eventually.
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  Toni White April 5, 2010 at 7:38pm

  As an amateur blogger on my first backpacking experience I have to say that I'm actually with the professionals. I agree with Maralyn that professionals are having to work harder and for less because of people like me but looking at my blog and other similar ones I don't think there is much to worry about. Out of the hundreds of blogs I've glanced out only a handful of 'amateur' appear to be anywhere near the standard that people crave. Blogs like mine, I believe, are stepping stones. There are many first time backpackers that may want to follow my blog for tips from a person similar to them in age and location etc or want to read a personal story attached to the journey but if you want reliable information and opinions then a professional travel writer is where you need to go.
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  Lana Bortolot April 5, 2010 at 6:54pm

  Professional travel journalists --whether they're bloggers or traditional reporters--will prevail because they know how to deliver serviceable advice and keen insights into culture or destinations. But we can't be generalists any more because it doesn't distinguish us from the ordinary travelers. There's now a bigger need for us to continue differentiating ourselves from the wannabes by adding more areas of expertise, i.e. architecture, wine, art, etc. to make the travel narrative richer. Sadly, though we can learn this on our own, sometimes (as in the case of wine education) it costs us big bucks to do this with real authority--an investment that's hard to recoup.
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  Judy Wells April 5, 2010 at 6:54pm

  Doing so is part of that flexibility I mentioned so of course I don't assume all bloggers are amateurs. After all, I'm one too. However, on many sites it's impossible to tell if a review was made by a seasoned traveler, a grouch who never likes anything, a rival hotelier/restaurateur or a shill for the facility itself.
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  Diana Lambdin Meyer April 5, 2010 at 6:35pm

  Judy - I agree with you and Ed 100 percent. I think eventually citizen journalism will find its place along with the tabloids and consumers will once again recognize professional writing, reporting, photography for what it is - the best available.
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  Judy Wells April 5, 2010 at 6:29pm

  Ed, I think as the amateurs and wanna be's proliferate, the role of the professional travel journalist will become increasingly important. However, unless they have developed marketing skills and exercised the flexibility all good travelers need, I'm not sure who's going to hear them/us. However, I'm convinced the shakeout will come and professionalism will survive. You may listen to your neighbor's travel tales but do you call them or a professional to book a complicated itinerary? Whose advice do you seek, a blogger whose tastes and experience are unknown or a professional who has experienced the gamut of possibilities?
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  Maralyn D Hill April 5, 2010 at 6:18pm

  I think the role has increased. However, I think they are working three times as hard for half the amount of money. Writers are having to develop their marketing and on-line skills.